IBM RS/6000 POWER GXT6000P and GXT4000P Graphics Accelerators Designed To
Deliver Improved Performance

ENUS100-289.PDF (84KB)

At a Glance

The pacesetting capabilities of the GXT6000P and GXT4000P are driven by
advanced electronics design throughout, resulting in some of the most
advanced computer graphics ever produced for design and visualization.

Overview

The GXT6000P and GXT4000P form the basis of a new family of graphics
accelerators in support of RS/6000® workstations.

These two new products are based on a high-performance raster engine,
which is the result of a new design implemented in state-of-the-art IBM
chip technology.

GXT6000P

The GXT6000P, with its hardware geometry accelerator chip implemented in
the new copper technology, supports the higher performance requirements
of the more demanding user of advanced 3D workstations.

GXT4000P

The GXT4000P is designed to meet the price/performance needs of the
value-oriented market for entry 3D workstations.

These new graphics accelerators, when configured in the RS/6000
Power3-II-based workstations, provide an excellent combination of
function and performance for complex and demanding graphics applications
in areas such as:

The GXT6000P and GXT4000P provide native support in hardware for both the
OpenGL and IBM graPHIGS application programming interfaces, resulting in
unmatched flexibility of support for application software, regardless of
the graphics API chosen for implementation.

The GXT4000P and GXT6000P accelerators are full-length PCI adapters that
are supported for installation in a 64-bit PCI bus slot of the RS/6000
7044P Models 170 and 270 and 7043 Model 270 upgrade, but can
also fit in a 32-bit slot of these systems.

Provides very advanced texture mapping for very high visual image quality

Streams the raster information from the large frame buffer to analog
displays

Key Prerequisites

RS/6000 PCI System 7044 Models 170 and 270 and 7043 Model 270
upgrade

AIX® Version 4.3.3, or later

Either or both 3D APIs, OpenGL, or graPHIGS, included with AIX
Version 4.3.3

Planned Availability Date

December 8, 2000

Description

GXT6000P

The GXT6000P, with its hardware geometry acceleration:

Supports the higher performance requirements of the more demanding user
of advanced 3D workstations.

Provides the highest level of graphics performance available for the
RS/6000 workstations.

Delivers significant advances in performance as measured by the Graphics
Performance Characterization (GPC) benchmarks and, more importantly,
within MCAD and MCAE applications.

In some benchmarks, for certain environments the GXT6000P more than
doubles the speed of previous IBM graphics products.

In the GXT6000P, the geometry engine performs very high precision
transformations on geometric models and provides clipping and multisource
lighting.

The IBM Power GXT6000P Graphics Accelerator is a 64-bit mid-range 3D PCI
Graphics adapter for the RS/6000 Models 7044-170 and 7044-270 and
7043-270 upgrade. This adapter has the following base features:

128MB Unified Frame Buffer

24-Bit Double Buffered up to 1920 x 1200

24-Bit Quad Buffered Stereo up to 1280 x 1024

24-Bit Z-Buffer

4/8-Bit Overlay

8-Bit Double Buffered Alpha

8-Bit Stencil/Clip Planes

8 Windows ID bits

1 Rectangular Scissor Region

5 HW Rectangular Clippers

Texture Mapping:

Up to 108 MB Texture Memory (1280 x 1024)

Dual Texture

3D Texture

Texture Color Table

Video Support:

Bilinear Scaling

Color Space Conversion

4 Hardware Color Maps

Gamma Corrected AA Lines

Full OpenGL/graPHIGS Geometry Accelerator

HW Occlusion Culling

API Support:

X11

GraPHIGS

OpenGL 1.2

Monitor Support:

Resolutions Supported:

1280 X 1024 @ 85Hz

1600 X 1200 @ 85Hz

1920 X 1200 @ 76Hz

DDC2B Support

ISO 9241-Compliant

GXT4000P

The GXT4000P:

Is designed to meet the price/performance needs of the value-oriented
market for entry 3D workstations.

The IBM Power GXT4000P Graphics Accelerator is a 64-bit entry 3D PCI
Graphics adapter for the RS/6000 Models 7044-170 and 7044-270 and
7043-270 upgrade. This adapter has the following base features:

128 MB Unified Frame Buffer

24-bit Double Buffered up to 1920 x 1200

24-bit Quad Buffered Stereo up to 1280 x 1024

24-bit Z-Buffer

4/8-bit Overlay

8-bit Double Buffered Alpha

8-bit Stencil/Clip Planes

8 Windows ID bits

1 Rectangular Scissor region

5 HW Rectangular Clippers

Texture Mapping:

Up to 108 MB Texture Memory (1280 x 1024)

Dual Texture

3D Texture

Texture Color Table

Video Support:

Bilinear Scaling

Color Space Conversion

4 Hardware Color Maps

Gamma Corrected AA lines

HW occlusion culling

API Support:

X11

GraPHIGS

OpenGL 1.2

Monitor Support:

Resolutions Supported:

1280 x 1024 @ 85 Hz

1600 x 1200 @ 85 Hz

1920 x 1200 @ 76 Hz

DDC2B Support

ISO 9241-Compliant

Year 2000

These products are Year 2000 ready. When used in accordance with their
associated documentation, they are capable of correctly processing,
providing, or receiving date data within and between the twentieth and
twenty-first centuries, provided that all products (for example,
hardware, software, and firmware) used with the products properly
exchange accurate date data with them.

Euro Currency

These products are not impacted by euro currency.

Product Positioning

Power GXT6000P

The Power GXT6000P is the highest performing IBM graphics accelerator
available for the RS/6000. It replaces the GXT3000P on 7044
Model 170 and 270 and 7043-270 upgrade. The GXT6000P, coupled with
the 7044 Model 170 450 MHz system, delivers its highest
graphics workstation performance. The 7044 Model 270 2-way with the
GXT6000P also provides very good CATIA performance if MCAE and other
multiprocessor applications are used.

Power GXT4000P

The POWER GXT4000P is the second highest performing IBM graphics
accelerator available for the RS/6000. It replaces the GXT3000P and
GXT2000P on 7044 Model 170 and 270 and 7043-270 upgrade. The
GXT4000P, coupled with the 7044 Model 170 450 MHz system, delivers
its highest graphics workstation performance; however, GXT4000P, with
Model 170 333 MHz and 400 MHz-based systems, delivers the
best price/performance.

Trademarks

RS/6000 and AIX are registered trademarks of International Business
Machines Corporation in the United States or other countries or both.

Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

Other company, product, and service names may be trademarks or service
marks of others.

Publications

The
POWER GXT4000P and POWER GXT6000P Graphics Adapter Installation and Using
Guide
(SA23-1236) is shipped.

You can view or print publications from the RS/6000® Install Options
section of the RS/6000 System Books Web site at:

Security, Auditability, and Control

These products use the security and auditability features of host
software and application software.

The customer is responsible for evaluation, selection, and implementation
of security features, administrative procedures, and appropriate controls
in application systems and communications facilities.

Terms and Conditions

Feature Section

This product is available for purchase under the terms of the IBM
Customer Agreement (ICA).

IBM hardware products are manufactured from new parts and used parts. In
some cases, the hardware product may have been previously installed.
Regardless, IBM's warranty terms apply.

Prices

The prices provided in this announcement are suggested retail prices for
the U.S. only and are provided for your information only. Dealer prices
may vary, and prices may also vary by country. Prices are subject to
change without notice. For additional information and current prices,
contact your local IBM representative.